Bhubaneswar: Odisha Police have summoned former IAS officer V.K. Pandian (IAS:2000) for questioning in connection with the alleged disappearance of two high-profile inquiry commission reports from the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO). The reports relate to the 2008 killing of Hindu leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and the 2016 SUM Hospital fire tragedy in Bhubaneswar.
According to officials, the Capital Police Station in Bhubaneswar has issued a notice directing Pandian to appear before the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Zone-I, at 11 am on July 25 as part of the ongoing investigation.
Probe Into Missing Inquiry Reports Widens
The summons comes as Odisha Police expand their investigation into the disappearance of two important official reports:
- The Justice A.S. Naidu Commission report on the 2008 killing of Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and his aides.
- The Revenue Divisional Commissioner (RDC) inquiry report on the devastating SUM Hospital fire in Bhubaneswar in 2016.
The reports reportedly went missing from the Chief Minister’s Office, prompting the Odisha Home Department to register an FIR last month.
Pandian’s Role Under Scanner
Mr Pandian, a 2000-batch IAS officer, served as the Private Secretary to former Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik before taking voluntary retirement from the Indian Administrative Service.
Following his retirement, Pandian joined the Biju Janata Dal (BJD) ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha and Odisha Assembly elections. However, he stepped away from active politics after the party’s electoral defeat.
Police have not accused Pandian of any wrongdoing but have summoned him for questioning as part of the investigation into the missing government records.
Other Senior Officers Also Summoned
The investigation has already reached other senior bureaucrats.
Former IT Secretary Manoj Mishra appeared before investigators and recorded his statement after receiving a police notice.
Senior IAS officer Rajesh Verma, who was also asked to appear before investigators, reportedly did not present himself before the police by the stipulated deadline.
Officials indicated that questioning of multiple officers is aimed at tracing the movement of official files handled by the Chief Minister’s Office during the previous government.
FIR Registered Under BNS Provisions
The Odisha Home Department lodged an FIR against unidentified persons after repeated searches failed to locate the two inquiry reports in official records.
The complaint, filed by Home Department Joint Secretary Sarat Chandra Marandi, invokes provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) relating to:
- Criminal breach of trust by a public servant
- Destruction or concealment of official documents
- Criminal conspiracy
According to the FIR, while several official files and reports were returned by the Chief Minister’s Office to the Home Department on June 4, 2024, after it became evident that there would be a change in government following the Assembly election results, the two inquiry reports were missing.
The complaint states that the disappearance of only these two reports raises a reasonable suspicion that they may have been intentionally removed, retained, concealed, destroyed, or otherwise unlawfully dealt with.
Background of the Two High-Profile Cases
2008 Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati Killing
Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati and four of his disciples were shot dead by Maoists at his ashram in Kandhamal district on August 23, 2008. The killings triggered one of Odisha’s worst episodes of communal violence, resulting in at least 38 deaths and widespread destruction of homes and places of worship.
2016 SUM Hospital Fire
The second missing report relates to the SUM Hospital fire in Bhubaneswar in October 2016, in which 24 people lost their lives after smoke spread rapidly through the intensive care unit, dialysis ward and emergency department of the private medical college and hospital.
Investigation Continues
The police investigation is focused on establishing how the two inquiry reports disappeared while other official records from the same period were returned to the Home Department. Investigators are examining the movement and custody of official files during the transition of power in Odisha and are expected to question additional officials as the probe progresses.
About Him
Mr Pandian is a former 2000-batch Odisha-cadre IAS officer from Tamil Nadu who became one of India’s most powerful bureaucrats. He was originally allotted to the Punjab cadre but subsequently transferred to the Odisha cadre on spouse grounds.
He served as the private secretary to former Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik before taking voluntary retirement to join politics. As Private Secretary to former CM from 2011, he earned absolute trust and spearheaded massive governance reforms like the 5T Initiative, transforming schools, hospitals, and heritage temples across the state. Known for early morning inspections, he took voluntary retirement in 2023 to officially join the Biju Janata Dal (BJD). Following the party’s electoral defeat in 2024, he withdrew from active politics but remains a highly influential and debated figure in Odisha’s administrative history.
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